More than a friendly, really

In truth, the game at the Moses Mabhida Stadium is billed as a friendly, being in honour of one of the greatest sons of Africa, Dr. Nelson Mandela, and coming only a few weeks after the former South African President turned 95.However, the Nelson Mandela Challenge will be the first clash between Nigeria and South […]

In truth, the game at the Moses Mabhida Stadium is billed as a friendly, being in honour of one of the greatest sons of Africa, Dr. Nelson Mandela, and coming only a few weeks after the former South African President turned 95.
However, the Nelson Mandela Challenge will be the first clash between Nigeria and South Africa at senior men’s level for several years, and may also go some way in determining which pot the Super Eagles, champions of Africa, will be during the Draw Ceremony for the 10-team final elimination round for the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals.
For those keen followers of the game who do not know yet, the 10 teams that eventually win the 10 groups of the on-going African elimination series will be divided into two halves – the stronger and the weaker – five apiece, to contest the final elimination round that will see the winners qualifying for Brazil.
The Confederation of African Football will place the teams in two halves based on the FIFA ranking of September 2013. The top African teams left in the race, at the time of the Draw (16th September), will be considered the Strong 5 while the others will be considered the Weaker 5.
The difference is that the teams in the weaker pool will host the first leg matches in the final elimination round billed for October and November respectively.
Of course, most teams prefer to play first leg games of two-leg qualifiers away from home. The intention always is to go for war in the first leg away from home and ultimately, get a result, which would stand the team in good stead for the home leg.
At the moment, the Super Eagles rank number five in Africa, with only Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali and Algeria ahead. The intention for now is to ensure that we remain within that range, since Cote d’Ivoire and Algeria have already qualified, and Ghana is likely to join them as they play Zambia at home and need only a draw in Kumasi on September 7.
Staying within the Top 5 is a reason why we must go all out against the Bafana Bafana on Wednesday. But there are other reasons.
As champions of Africa, anytime we play in Africa these days, much is expected. I remember the way the Kenyans were jubilating when they played a 1-1 draw with the Super Eagles in Calabar in March, and how they consoled themselves that “we played the champions of Africa” when they lost 0-1 to the Super Eagles in Nairobi. I also remember the way the Namibians celebrated wildly when they played a 1-1 draw with the Super Eagles in another 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Windhoek on June 12.
So, anytime we go up against African opposition, we are condemned to put up a strong show and, often have to achieve victory. Another reason is the strong, sometimes muted, oftentimes unstated, rivalry between Nigeria and South Africa on the African continent.
South Africa was where the Super Eagles achieved triumph in the Africa Cup of Nations, first time in 19 years, in February this year. The Bafana Bafana, who only reached the quarter finals, have not forgotten. That country put up a great show in hosting the event that was claimed by Nigeria.
The Malian team that knocked out the Bafana Bafana got poleaxed by the Super Eagles in the semi final. And that was at the Moses Mabhida Stadium – venue of Wednesday’s match.
The Eagles prevailed by four goals to one in that Nations Cup semi final battle and that is the memory they have going into the Moses Mabhida Stadium. I have also read a couple of the players talking about their excitement to be involved in a match designed to honour the great man who became South Africa’s first democratically-elected President after spending 27 years in prison.
It all adds up to serious excitement and purposefulness on the Nigeria side as the Nelson Mandela Challenge comes up in Durban in a few days’ time.
Truly, it is a friendly, but the objective of remaining within the Top 5 in the FIFA ranking ahead of the draw for the final elimination round, the rivalry between out two countries and the fact of being African champions condemned to giving the best and being the best at every situation, have combined to make this more than a friendly for the Super Eagles. There’s so much pride and matter at stake.
Consoling Governor Fashola…
The news came like a thunderbolt on Monday afternoon that Alhaji Ibrahim Ademola Fashola, father of the Executive Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), had passed on. The Nigeria Football Federation has formally consoled Governor  Fashola and sent a strong delegation to the burial of the late Pa Fashola on Tuesday in Lagos, but I must confess that I was truly shocked at the departure of the old man. Pa Fashola looked hale, hearty and spritely when Governor Fashola introduced him to me just a few months ago in Lagos.
However, the consolation is that the man lived a fulfilled and useful life, living to a ripe old age and seeing his children become leaders and decision-makers in their various endeavours.
NEXT WEEK: Looking Back At The Last Three Years